"Doctor, how''s my son?" Frank and Emma lost all interest in confronting Yvonne, and everyone crowded around the surgeon.


    The doctor removed his sterile mask, his face showing a sense of relief. "You can rest easy, Mr. Thompson. We''ve removed the bullets. Fortunately, one of them missed his heart by less than an inch. No vital organs were hit. Your son is in excellent physical condition with a strong will to live. He''s out of danger. We''ll move him to a private room for observation."


    Frank finally let out a breath of relief. Emma was so overwhelmed with emotion that she began to cry.


    "Aunt Emma, Ben''s out of danger now. Don''t worry too much. You need to take care of yourself," Ynda said with thoughtful consideration.


    Emma nodded, patting Ynda''s hand.


    Bet was moved to a VIP suite, and the Thompson and Walker families all flooded into the room.


    Yvonne was thest to enter, moving silently, trying to be invisible, terrified of being thrown out again.


    Bet had juste out of surgery and should have still been unconscious from the anesthesia.


    But he was awake. Tubes were still attached to his body, yet he propped himself up, looking weak but stillmanding. His dark eyes were fixed on Yvonne, and he murmured in a low, hoarse voice, "Vonnie, don''t go."


    Yvonne''s gaze met his for a fleeting moment before she quickly looked down, letting tears stream down her cheeks.


    Seeing her son wake up only to stare at the woman who had nearly gotten him killed, Emma''s anger red once more. If it weren''t for the crowd in the room and the need to maintain herposure, she would have pped Yvonne.


    Noticing Bet''s unwavering gaze on Yvonne, Ynda walked to the bedside, subtly blocking his view.


    "Ben, is your wound hurting a lot? The doctor said you were seriously injured and need to rest. Don''t worry, I''ll be here with you the whole time."


    Ynda took Bet''s hand, tears streaming down her face in a disy of heartfelt emotion.


    "Stop crying, I''m fine," Bet said, offering a perfunctoryfort. When he looked back towards the doorway, Yvonne was gone.


    A bitter smile touched Bet''s lips.


    He pulled his hand from Ynda''s grasp andy back down on the bed, his face pale.


    "Bet..." Emma began, her heart aching for her son, but he cut her off.


    "I''m tired. I want to rest. Mom, Dad, you should go home."


    "Alright, you get some rest. Should we have Ynda stay with you?" Emma asked.


    "No, everyone out," Bet said,


    turning his back to them,


    .ne


    edged with impatience is one


    Emma wanted to say more, but Frank stopped her. "Let''s go. We shouldn''t disturb


    his rest."


    At Frank''s signal, everyone gradually left the room.


    Meanwhile, Yvonne stood at the hospital entrance, her pale face a mask of confusion.


    It wasn''t that she wanted to linger, but she didn''t know where to go.


    She was still Yvonne, yet she wasn''t Yvonne anymore.


    Yvonne slowly descended the long flight of steps in front of the


    hospital The sun was fully und


    its re painful to the eyes


    She sank onto a step, wrapping her arms around her chest and curling into a small


    ball.


    Just then, a warm hand rested on


    her


    Shoulder Startled Yvonne


    looked up to see Sandra sitting


    down beside her.


    "Are you okay?" Sandra asked.